Ponting and co still the No.1 drawcard with us, say India

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CRICKET Australia's bean-counters can rest easy. The poor recent
form of Australia's one-day side will not deter the financially
powerful Board of Control for Cricket in India from scheduling
future series against them.

Australia, along with Pakistan, have become India's preferred
opponents in recent years to play lucrative, made-for-TV,
limited-overs series. Last year, India invited Australia and the
West Indies to play in a pre-Champions Trophy tournament in
Malaysia. And, assuming the move is rubber-stamped, Australia and
India will play another one-day series in Northern Ireland next
year, along with a seven-match tournament in India.

The BCCI's gravitation towards Australia is simply explained:
Ricky Ponting's side has ruled international cricket for some years
and is hugely popular with Indian audiences. That apparently has
not changed in the wake of Australia losing the No.1 one-day
ranking to South Africa.

"We will still look at opportunities in the future," BCCI
secretary Niranjan Shah told the Herald. "They are a
powerful team. One or two bad series doesn't mean anything. Teams
go up and down all the time, but Australia are always a powerful
team. [Falling to No.2] does not change anything. Hopefully we can
agree to everything to play in Northern Ireland, and we can look at
other opportunities as well."

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